Roof pitch advice needed

[LawnDart79]

I'm now planning to build a 26x30 (26' wide by 30' deep) reverse gable two car garage (similar to the pic attached, but without dormers). I'm planning to have 9' sidewalls and use scissor trusses in roughly half of it where a 10,000# lift would be located.

From the looks of it, I need at least 12' at the peak of the roof for the lift (unless I get a low ceiling lift). The question I have is, should I go with a 6/12 pitch or a 8/12 pitch in order to adequately raise cars and trucks? I was planning to have attic trusses at the other end of the garage, so maybe 8/12 would be better? I believe the pic I attached is 8/12 pitch.

I also have another question. I currently live in a 1 story ranch style house with what I believe to be about a 4/12 pitch roof (not very steep). The question I have is, would a garage with a steeper roof than the house look odd with the roof lines running the same direction?

 

[Rosco]

I would go with the 8-12 pitch. The roof line will look fine with the house as long as it is detached. I have an 8-12 on my house and 11-12 on my garage. My garage is a 26 X 30 also, but with large dormers (1 on each side).

Here is a pic of the garage and house.

 

[James E]

Hmm, one of my pet peeves is a garage that looks nothing like the house. The difference between an 8-12 and a 4-12 would be striking if the two buildings are close together. I might stick with the 6-12 if aesthetics are more important than function.

 

[xterrable]

I second the 8/12 pitch. I am building a 30x30 right now and did a 8/12 with attic trusses. The room upstairs is 10 feet wide by 7 feet high. The truss has a 20' run and to the peak is about 10 1/2 foot tell. I have about 12" of concrete exposed and went with 10' studs. Inside is just over 11 feet high. It looked a little big at first, but it fits in perfectly now...

a 6/12 is going to drastically cut down on the attic space. Like James said, you want it to look like the house. But you need what is important. I want to some day have a lift, which is why i made mine so big. If you dont do it now, you will regret it.

 

[ddawg16]

I would venture to guess that none of you have done any work on a roof over a 4:12 pitch.....

 

[dougmac]

I personally would match the roof of the house. I agree that the garage should look like an extension of the house.

When I built my garage, it was a real pain but I built it with a dutch hip so that it matched the roof line of the house. Then sided them similarly as well.

 

[Hank McMauser]

6/12 pretty easy to work on, not too much back bending, 8/12 starts to get a little steeper/tricky for sliding down as you're working.
What is the pitch of your bottom chord ? will it clear your lift? a good lumberyard salesman/truss guy can figure this out for you

if your interior pitch is 3/12 and your trusses are spanning the 26 ft way you'll have appx 39" of rise at the center
39"+108" =12 ft 3inches
if the trusses are running the 30 ft way (30 ft span) you'll about 45"
45"+108"=12 ft 9 inches
either way with a
3/12 pitch on the bottom chord you'll be able to clear(just barely on the 26 ft truss)
whether or not they can do a truss with that steep of a bottom chord with the desired top chord pitch is a question to ask the truss guy or your lumber salesman.

 

[Rosco]

I would venture to guess that none of you have done any work on a roof over a 4:12 pitch.....

I used to roof houses. My garage is a 11-12 pitch for function......I do not spend time on the roof, I spend it under the roof.

 

[z28toz06]

I guess I would go with the same pitch as the house roof, but maybe consider going with 10 foot walls on the garage. That way the pitch would not be that much of an issue.

 

[Kentuckian]

My house roof has a 5-12 pitch. The garage is 36 x 42 and has a 6-12 pitch. I tied the two together with a breezeway using the house pitch. No one has ever said anything about the difference in the roof pitch even though the garage is taller. What they have commented on is how great the garage looks and how they wish they had a garage that big. I stick built the top instead of using trusses and have a room on the second floor that is 18 ft from knee wall to knee wall and 42 ft across.